Wish you a very happy and healthy n successful year ahead…I wish you got everything which you deserves and wanted..Live long..God bless you!!..Muhhhaaa!!!

Chapter 5 : The Cousin

I felt stiff when I woke up, I started to move a little bit then I realized I wasn’t alone. Glancing up I saw slumbering form of my friend. I guess I fall asleep with him there. When I tried to move, I realized that he had wrapped his arm around me. I didn’t want to bother him, so I closed my eyes and pretended to go back to sleep.

However, within a minutes, My bestie Radhika was busting down from stairs quickly, as Arjun started blowing his car’s horn. The sound made Neil jerk awake which caused me to almost go fall off from the sofa. Luckily, he remembered that I was there and grabbed me before I went rolling into the floor. He wrapped his arm around me tightly, for moment I thought he was going to choke me to the death with the tight grip he had on me.

“ you alright? “

“yeah..but you choking me? “

He loosened his grip as Radhika informed us that we were running late for college and we should get ready fast. He shifted and stood. I stood and followed him up the stairs to his room. Pulling my clothes from bag, I went to get freshen up. After slipping on my favorite pair of capri pants and blue t-shirt. Brushing down my hair , I put it up in the clip.

When I stepped out from washroom, he was running his hand from his mid night black hair, he was wearing white t-shirt , ripped jeans and his motor cycle shoes. When he turned to look at me, his expression was strange. Not a bad strange, just different I guess. Something that I would have to figure out later.
When we went downstairs, house was silent. Everyone left for their respective works. Neil pulled the keys from drawer and we were out of the door. The car roared to life and we were on our road to college.

The whole day went uneventful. Nothing happened. With exception Lara and her group glaring at me any chance that they got. In last lecture I slept literally leaning on Neil’s shoulder.
The bell rang which caused me to jump and again fall almost, but I was again saved By Neil

“ Wakey Wakey Sammy…”

“Shut up” I groaned

He laughed and let me stood on my feet. I went to my badminton practice. Again practice too went uneventful. Lara and Sophie were at their best behavior on practice. Couch let us leave early and after I changed I found Neil waiting outside the auditorium.

“Did they behave well?” he asked while turning on the radio for a good song to listen

“They didn’t hurt me, does that count?”

“Guess so”

He put the car in reverse and pulled away from the college. He found a song and then come a normal question “ who is singing?”

The song lyrics hadn’t even started and I had to think quickly. It didn’t take me long to think of it.

“ Its ‘ Tegan and Sara’ and the song is ‘Don’t find another Love’ from ‘Endless Love’…C’mon Neil, you can do better than that…”

“ Going easy on you today, Saminder singh…” he started singing the song along with the radio all the way we reached my house. When we arrived, I saw dad’s car standing in drive way.

“Guess you don’t staying at my house tonight then?”
I glared at him as I got out of the car “ finally away from idiot “

“Rather away from smartyyy….”

I rolled my eyes as he followed me up to the steps into my house

“Mommmm….”

“ You know Samaira Khanna, you should stay alert when you have cousin like me..they can trouble you….”

I turned around to see one person that I hadn’t expected to see. Standing taller than even me, in her jeans , shoes, tank top and black shrug, was my favorite person ever.

“you know I could say the same thing for you, Krutika Khanna. You are a trouble..”

Laughing she came over and wrapped me in hug. I hadn’t seen her from long..like from four or five years.

Her eyes shifted to Neil “how’s it going, Neil?I can see you haven’t dumped this loser cousin of mine yet”

“ I tried but no one was ready to take her, so I guess I’m stuck with her “ Neil exclaimed with mischievous wink.

I punched him on his arm and he just broke in laughter.” You know I wouldn’t know what to do without you Sammy..”

“ I thought so….”

“I think you found what we brought from Caligut for you…” My mom say standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

I rolled my eyes and headed towards the kitchen followed by Neil and kritika. My cousin was different but in a fun way. Everyone quickly noticed the fresh cookies on the table and all three of us were snatching from the plate. Mom left the room to do some chores that needed to be done around the house left us alone at the table to talk. I turned my attention back to my cousin who was picking on Neil like normal.

“So what brings my favorite cousin to Panji? “ I thought you were happy with the sunny Mumbai?”

“ well I was checking out some college here. I want closure to home. So basically this entire trip was an excuse to come to see my sweet little sister..”

She was so home here and it was evident on her sparkly eyes as ever, like her personality. She picked up another cookie and took a bite devouring the taste.

“ so what are you to up to? “ she questioned back looking me and Neil.

We looked at each other and just shrugged our shoulder.

“I will better ask….. what happened to your scooty, Sam?”

I turned to glare to the cause of my scooty’s destruction. Kritika looked towards Neil who was trying to look innocent.
“what did you do? “

I couldn’t hold my laughter as Neil was getting nervous infront of Kritika. It was fun to see him like this, since it didn’t happen a lot.

“Okay…Kriti…I…I broke it…”

Shaking her head she started to laugh “Typical Neil” She chuckled

The conversation interrupted when Neil’s phone rang.

Neil went outside to attend his call while Kritika turned her attention back to me.

“ So, is there any boy in your life that I need to be threatening to edge of their life?”

Typical question from her. she was my protector besides Neil and loved to shoo boys from my life who would tried to bother me.

“No, Kriti…”I sighed “ I’m not interested in anyone and they are not interested in me either…”

Her eyes darted from me and Neil and she smiled.

“No. Kriti..I don’t love him…”

She didn’t say anything but I know what she was thinking. She was the one who suggests me to go after Neil. I have always been telling her that I and Neil were just friends that I didn’t think that way about him. This was becoming theme lately people telling me this. Everyone around me think I should go for Neil, people who actually knows us.

Neil finally snapped his phone shut
“I guess I need to go out here, Radz wanted me to help with her Car. She told me to tell you guys that you are going to come to our house that Radz gonna get you for ‘mini shopping contest’…” He chuckled

I looked at Kriti and we groaned. As much as I hated shopping, Kriti feels the same way.

“See you in the morning Sammy….”

We watched Neil leave and rumble of his car tell us that he had left.

“Neil is hot, you know “ Kritika exclaimed

“ Kriti…..”

“Girl you must be blind not to see him. Damn, I wouldn’t mind seeing that boy shirtless…” she sighed apparently going in day dreaming about my best friend

I rolled my eyes and tried to get away from the idea Neil being ‘hot’ out of my mind. It kinda freaked me out some that Kriti having fantasy about Neil. I mean she was older to him. I didn’t want to think about that way for him. End of the story.

“C’mon Sam, don’t tell me you haven’t noticed him.the boy has hot body and you are with him 24*7. Girls have to be throwing themselves on his constatantly.he is completely desirable and I won’t blame you if you find him attractive…”
I knew that she was right but I don’t want to agree with her. I know girls like Lara throws themselves on him but he always act indifferent. And he kept that information to himself. I wondered always why he did that. May be he don’t want to flaunt his relationships or maybe he want to protect me from that knowledge.

“ Yes…I know that girls throws at him but he doesn’t care much.plus I know it very well that I don’t have any chance if I did think of him that way, which I don’t. He goes for hot girls. Leggy brunettes”

She sat there for a moment and stared at me.

“ Do you haven’t seen yourself? You are stunning Sam..I don’t believe that boys are unaware of this beautiful woman…”

“well, they are..except that Tony…but he is pervert…..”

Standing, I headed towards my room and obviously followed by my crazy match maker cousin. I hopped down on my bed and buried my face under pillow to cut off those thoughts from my mind. It wasn’t long before she sat down on bed and lie down beside me.

“ Sam, I don’t say this because I want to tease you or anything…It’s not my style..you know that. I want you happy. I know in deep down my heart he is the one for you. I just wish that you two would figure out this early before something happen and you lose each other…”

Rolling over I could see her eyes filled with ocean of sincerity and concern. I rolled myself on my back to face the roof.

“Kriti…I don’t feel anything for Neil except friendship. I want him as my friend only. Nothing more..let him have those relationships with random women. I don’t care…”

She said nothing but I know she was thinking that I was fooling myself to think I don’t care. I know she want to pull me from bed and shake some sense in my mind but it causes nothing to me.

Sighing she left the room. Looking across my study table I examined the pictures that sat around that showed the variety experience of my life..most of them filled with memories with Neil.

Many people wouldn’t think so, but it’s hard to live in shadow of Neil. I bet no one going to know my name if I wasn’t friend of his.
I looked at my college applications, I need to fill them and mailed. I knew Neil wanted me to stay here in Panji and do PG from local college. He wanted me to stay close to him, Radz and others. However, I had this urge to get out of Panji and see the outer world. I needed to see what was beyond the small town. Though Goa is always filled with fun and outer people but still I want to explore other places. My gaze turned and settled on my book…my writing. I want to be writer.

The thought of losing my friend was horrible but I would have to do that for my dreams. Going away to Mumbai was my dream and I couldn’t let my fear of losing my friend keep me from them.

I went across and pulled headphone to burst my ears with the music so that I can stay away from this thoughts for a moment and eventually fell asleep.

Hows’ it? That song ‘ don’t find another love” is awesome and emotional one..please listen once…Love you all…Stay KHUSH!!!

Dipu read it on Wattpad….but coundn’t get enough of it so reading it here again…breathtaking it was …..the complex emotions of human head tend to confuse us…and you penned it down with so much perfection…loved it…you made my morning 🙂 love u

dheeps super awesome thank u for the treat and yes krithika was right they are for each other and no sam should not leave panaji, what is gonna happen how is he gonna react is the bigegst part love u so much and superb update dear love u so much

subha

Dipika it was too amazing.. 🙂 bt a request…lil long one plz 🙂 NeSam unrealized love is a treat to read..nd Kritika seems nyc..I thought she might be after Neil…cute update by our cute dipika..not cute when it comes on drooling over my Arjun 😉 😉 😜 waiting for nxt. ..loads of love. 🙂